tirsdag den 6. august 2013

The 30th Regatta de Barcos Rabelos

A few days
after the Enthronement Ceremony the Confraria de Vinho do Porto had their
traditionally regatta in the Douro. The old Barcos
Rabelos – the boats that used to sail the port pipes down to Vila
Nova de Gaia from the Quintas in the Douro
– were sailing from the mouth of the river to the finish line in front of the
port lodges.

16 boats
were participating this year. I was lucky to get invited by Ramos Pinto to be
on board of Confrarias boat that followed the Rabelos during the race. Soon the
Rabelos of Cockburn, Cálem, Offley and Taylor were in the lead, but at the goal
“Quinta dos Canais” from Cockburn with Mestre Luís Martins as the captain was a
clear winner, followed by “Quinta do Foz” from Sogevinus and Infanta D. Isabel
from Rozès.

The winner,
“Quinta dos Canais” from Cockburn

But as David
Guimaraens from Fladgate explained me the regatta is more fun than a serious
race. The same point was made by George Thomas David Sandeman, who after the
regatta, where the boat from Sandeman fished last, said with a big smile:
“Everyone can win, but it takes more effort to finish last. And remember, that
it is told in the Bible that the last will be the first”.

Yes, it is
a funny event. And it sure is a beautiful sight when the Rabelos are coming up
the Douro with their sail raised. And I must
admit that it was lovely to spend the afternoon at Confrarias boat with good serving
and port tonics.

Ramos
Pinto, who invited me on board, doesn’t have a boat in the race themselves. And
as João Machete Pereira explained to me, it is too
expensive to buy a new Barco Rabelo just for that event.